Item List

Chop the onion and garlic. In a wide pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and gently fry onion and garlic until softened.

Chop the red capsicum into pieces about 1cm x 1cm. Add to the onion mixture and fry for another 2 minutes.

Add the diced tomatoes, white wine and herbs.

Bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil.

Add the pasta and cook for 10-12 minutes depending on packet instructions.

In the last couple of minutes of pasta cooking time, add the marinara mix to the tomato sauce. Push all the pieces under the sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes. It is ready when the fish pieces are just cooked through.

Drain the pasta, place in large bowls. Spoon sauce over the top and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

You could serve some grated parmesan on the side too.

Pasta Marinara

An inexpensive way to use seafood for a family meal.

1. Take about 12-16 bamboo skewers and soak them in water (this prevents burning when you cook the skewers).

2. Make the chimmichurra- you can chop by hand but a food processor makes this very fast. Chop(or process) the garlic, parsley and chilli very finely. Add the oil, oregano, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasonings and flavour balance.

3. Remove skin from the salmon and cut the fish into large cubes.

4. Using a vegetable peeler, cut the zucchini into long skinny slices.

5. Thread, alternately, salmon cubes and folded up zucchini strips onto the skewers. Lay them in a tray.

6. Spoon over half of the chimmichurra as a marinade. Leave in the fridge until time to cook.

7. Preheat a chargrill pan or barbecue. Drizzle some olive oil over the skewers and cook on the hot pan. Turn to cook each side. this won't take long at all. You can also cut the lemons in half and grill them, cut face down, on the hot pan.

8. Serve with extra chimmichurra in a bowl on the side.

9. We had this with homemade potato wedges and steamed broccoli and green beans. Rice and a salad would be equally good.

Salmon Skewers with Chimmichurra

Salmon is one of the richest sources of omega three fatty acids, and if you can get wild caught rather than farmed, thats even better. Any leftover chimmichurra can be served with meat, or whatever else takes your fancy.

Skin the salmon fillets and cut into 2 or 3 pieces each. Sprinkle with 1 Tablespoon Thai fish sauce. Set aside.

Make up the vegetable stock in a pan.

Chop finely the ginger, chilli, red onion and lemon grass.

Add these to the stock along with the sugar.

Simmer for 10 minutes.

Slice the mushrooms, make fine slices of the zucchini, capsicum and carrot.

Add all of these to the simmering stock.

Heat a heavy based pan to hot with the olive oil.

Season the salmon with salt and pepper.

Add the salmon to the hot pan and sear on one side.

Turn over and cook for a couple more minutes, then turn off the heat.

Chop the spring onion and coriander ready for garnish.

Rinse the spinach. Add to the broth.

Add lime juice and remaining 2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce to the broth.

Place the salmon on the base of 4 soup bowls.

Spoon over the vegetables and broth.

Garnish with chopped coriander and spring onion.

You may want to serve this with cooked vermicelli rice noodles in the dish too to make it more filling.

Salmon in a Light Fragrant Broth

Quick and easy dinner. Add noodles to make it more filling.The vegetables can be varied. Fennel or shredded kale would go well.

Mix together marinade ingredients.

Pour over the salmon and cover in the fridge for 1-2 hours.

Cut the bok choy in half lengthways and wash thoroughly. Bring a pot of water to the boil to cook it.

To cook salmon, use a bamboo steamer basket on top of a pot of boiling water and steam both salmon and marinade coating for 7-8 minutes until just cooked through or use a microwave steamer and cook until just done (depends on the power of your microwave- maybe 3 minutes?)

Whilst salmon is cooking, put bok choy into boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes, then drain.

Heat the olive and sesame oils in a small fry pan and add the other ingredients. Warm through.

When salmon is cooked, place on plates with any cooked marinade. Arrange cooked bok choy around the salmon and pour the warmed chilli, ginger, garlic, sesame oil over the bok choy.

Steamed Ginger Salmon with Bok Choy and Sesame

Thank you Belinda Jeffrey for this absolutely gorgeous recipe. I have simplified the method slightly, but it is SO yummy!

1. Using a food processor or blender, process the fish, curry paste, egg, coriander, Thai fish sauce and lime juice until paste-like.
2. Add the rice flour and whizz again briefly until just combined.
3. Chop the green beans into very thin rounds. Fold through the mixture.
4. Cover and place in fridge until you are ready to cook.
5. Heat ½ - 1cm of oil in a frying pan.
6. Using a dessertspoon and your hands, form small patties of fish mixture and place in the oil.
7. Fry until golden on one side, then flip and cook the other side. This won’t take long.
8. Place the cooked fish cakes on absorbent paper to drain.
9. Serve hot with sweet chilli sauce or your favourite Thai dipping sauce. Garnish with some coriander sprigs and a wedge of lime.

Thai Fish Cakes

A great way to use a cheaper fish fillet to make something very authentically Thai tasting. Great for finger food fare too.